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Heating the water you use in your home on a daily basis requires electricity, and that comes at a cost. With the price rises by big energy companies, that can add up to a significant amount of money over the course of a year. In fact, uSwitch state that hot water usage in your home accounts for up to 10% or more of your annual energy costs. Thankfully, there are some important (and simple) ways that you can reduce your water heating electricity bill if you’re using an unvented water cylinder.
As your water heater fills, it warms the water in the cylinder. Once it reaches the pre-set temperature, heating stops. Over time (and even with insulation) that heat dissipates. If your cylinder’s insulation has been compromised, water heat can be lost very quickly. However, even in a system with adequate insulation, heat loss will eventually turn the heater back on, even if you’re not using the hot water. This unnecessary heating can be avoided by using a timer to heat water only when it’s needed. You can save several pounds per month with a timer alone.
The duration (or length, if you prefer) of your timer is also an important consideration. Avoid the temptation to set the timer for a long period. Only set it for the period of time that you’ll actually be using the hot water. Otherwise, you’re still paying to heat water that’s not actually being used – that’s just wasted money. Of course, the timer duration will vary from one household to another, but you can easily determine the length of time that’s right for your particular needs.
What temperature is your system set for? Chances are good it’s actually pretty high, particularly if you’ve never adjusted it. Heating water to high temperatures is definitely a waste of money, as you the need to mix it with cold to achieve a temperature that won’t scald your skin.
Instead, consider setting your system to a more reasonable temperature (we recommend about 55 degrees). This allows you to heat water to a level that is usable, but doesn’t overheat the water and require mixing with cold from the mains to be useable
How much hot water do you waste while letting the tap run? Not only does this increase your water bill, but it requires that the heater in your cylinder to turn on more frequently. As hot water drains from the cylinder, it begins to refill. The water filling the cylinder is cold, and requires heating to achieve your pre-set temperature.
Instead of letting the taps run, use a plug in the drain to hold water in the basin. This ensures that your water heater only has to run a minimal amount (if at all) to heat fresh cold water to the pre-set temperature.
Who doesn’t love a long, hot soak in the tub? Well, if you’re paying too much for electricity over the course of a year, that love might be diminished by a considerable amount. Filling a tub takes a great deal of hot water, which means that your water heater must then refill and reheat.
Even if you have it set to a reasonable temperature, that’s a lot of wasted money. You can get around this by taking showers instead of baths. The average bathtub takes about 130 litres of water. On the other hand, you might use as little as 60 litres of water if you took a 10-minute shower, instead. That’s 70 litres of water that you don’t have to reheat (plus the savings on your water bill).
If you have an economy 7 or 10 electrical supply, saving money on your electric bill through strategic water heating will require that you take an additional step. Make sure you heat the water during off-peak hours, or you’ll be paying too much. If your water heater is a modern model and well insulated, it should be able to maintain water temperature for up to two days after being heated, so there’s really no downside to heating water during off-peak times, even if you actually use it during peak hours.
You’ll need to set your timer for off-peak hours, though, otherwise the heater will automatically kick on when the temperature drops as cold water refills the cylinder.
Speaking of insulation, if you’re experiencing high electric bills and suspect that they’re related to your water heater, it might be wise to check the insulation. If you have an older model cylinder, it might not be insulated. In that case, a cylinder insulation jacket can help reduce your electricity use. However, modern unvented cylinders should have a 60-mm layer of foam insulation surrounding them.
This particular tip is not necessarily related specifically to your water heater, so much as it is the electric company’s policies. More and more utility companies are offering discounts for customers who pay their bills online. If you’re paying with cash or a cheque, consider automatic drafts, or online bill payments. These can help you save at least a little bit of money over the course of the year.
If you’re struggling with high electric bills related to water heater use and have tried these tips to no avail, get in touch with EasyFlow. We provide expert maintenance and installation services for most brands of unvented water cylinders, and can often provide same-day service. Whether you’re considering a new water heater, or need repairs to an existing unvented cylinder, we can help. Call us on 0800 433 4043.
Thank you very much for the quick and excellent service
Colin, Liverpool
12th July, 2022
Replacement Valves
Just a word of thanks for the emergency support and repair carried out this week. Once again the work was carried out expertly, without leaving any mess and with great courtesy. Well done and thanks again for the support in our hour of need, much appreciated. Regards
BRH, Manchester
10th January, 2022
No Hot Water
Really appreciated the immediate answer when I phoned on Tuesday, which was a Public Holiday, about a significant leak in our pressurised hot water system. Really appreciated the quick call back to discuss the emergency situation and for the repair carried out by him on Tuesday this week. Once again the work was carried out expertly, without leaving any mess and with great courtesy. An excellent service. Well done and thanks again for the excellent support in our hour of need; much appreciated.
Brian, Styal Road Wilmslow
28th December, 2021
Maintenance Plan
After a few years of struggling to get adequate hot water our landlord finally brought in the right people for the job. Chris our engineer was superb, after a brief chat with myself he diagnosed & repaired the issue in under two hours. Excellent service & very professional. Thanks to you we now have plenty of hot water 24/7.
Chris Sheridan, Manchester
23th March, 2021
Blending Valve Replacement
After having a bad experience with a Company pretending to be local who pretty much ripped me off, I was glad to find Easy Flow were local and the service from start to finish was excellent. Got a call back within ten minutes and was promised someone would be round to review that evening and then complete the job a couple of days later if needed. Chris, who attended texted me to give me an ETA and arrived when promised, masked up and Covid friendly. Really nice guy who told me the problem and was looking at his diary and decided to stay and complete the job then, so stayed on a Friday evening for almost two hours, leaving at 7.30, ensuring the job was done... Could not recommend highly enough...
Terry Garnett , Salford
15th January, 2021
No Hot Water
Very efficient and thorough - thanks again.
Danny Benson, Castlefield
10th August, 2020
Annual Service
EasyFlow installed a new thermal store water heater in our flat in Manchester city centre. Throughout the whole process, from the initial inspection, the quick turnaround in providing a quote through to full installation, we were extremely pleased with the service provided and would highly recommend to anyone in need of a heating specialist.
Matt and Alice, Manchester, UK
17th May, 2020
Installation
Engineer was prompt, very thorough, I had asked for service and repair. This was done swiftly and his knowledge of the product instilled confidence in his work. Quick, clean and good job well done. I shall be booking an annual service next year.
Beverley Venyige , West Yorkshire
30th March, 2020
Annual Service